Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez celebrates as he crosses the plate after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Indians Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez hit his major league-leading 47th home run and the Kansas City Royals defeated the Cleveland Indians 6-4 Tuesday night.

Perez also leads the majors in RBIs (118) and go-ahead home runs (17). The 31-year-old Perez trails Jorge Soler (2019) by one for the club record in homers.

Perez’s home run in the sixth inning gave the Royals the lead. But, the Indians came back to tie the game in the top of the eighth.

In the bottom of the eighth, Nicky Lopez tripled to the gap in left-center, scoring Whit Merrifield. Lopez scored on a wild pitch to give the Royals a two-run lead.

Josh Staumont (4-3) came on with two outs in the eighth and got the win. He was the seventh pitcher of the game for the Royals.

Blake Parker (2-1) took the loss for the Indians.

Brady Singer started the game for the Royals, but he didn’t last long. He gave up three runs on three hits in 2/3 innings. After he delivered a pitch, second baseman Whit Merrifield raced in from short right and motioned to the dugout. Singer was pulled with upper right arm discomfort. He was replaced by Ervin Santana.

The Indians scored three runs in the first. Myles Straw led off with a double, Amed Rosario walked and Jose Ramirez singled. Franmil Reyes hit a single to right, scoring Straw and Rosario. Ramirez scored on a double play.

Andrew Benintendi drew the Royals within one run with a two-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the first, driving in Salvador Perez.

Perez doubled leading off the fourth. Benintendi sent him to third with a deep fly ball, and Carlos Santana drove him in with a sacrifice fly.

Perez then put the Royals ahead with one out in the sixth with his 429-foot blast.

The Indians tied it in the eighth when pinch-hitter Oscar Mercado singled with one out. Yu Chang, who had lined out to the outfield twice earlier in the game, doubled home Mercado.

TRANSACTIONS

The Royals reinstated OF Michael A. Taylor from the bereavement list on Tuesday. To make room, OF Edward Olivares was optioned to Triple-A Omaha.

UP NEXT

The Indians will send RHP Zach Plesac (10-6, 4.54 ERA) to the mound. Plesac is 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA in two starts this season against the Royals. In his career, he’s been even better, as he’s never lost to Kansas City. He’s 6-0 with a 1.99 ERA, allowing 34 hits in 45 1/3 innings. His WHIP is 0.949, fourth best among all opponents he’s faced at least twice.

The Royals will counter with LHP Daniel Lynch (4-6, 5.40 ERA). Lynch has faced the Indians twice in his debut season, going 0-1 with a 5.91 ERA.

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